True Love's Curse
by Kathryn Claire O'Connor
Summary: Emma, Bae, and Killian come up with a strange way to potentially capitalize on the magic of true love's kiss, and the theory spreads around town. *Mostly crack pairings within open relationships*
1. Chapter 1

**This... this is my thinly veiled excuse to write crack pairings - and that's really _all_ that it is. Well, crack pairings and a speed-writing exercise. But, hey, enjoy! P.S. Because of the premise, or whatever you want to call it, I may actually come back and write more drabbles onto the completed project, but we'll see.**

* * *

 **Chapter 1**

The plan went wrong again at the last minute – of course it did – and Mary Margaret was back under a sleeping curse because of it. Emma was pacing nervously beside her mother's bed, muttering to herself as she watched over the other woman.

"Where _is_ Dad?" she grumbled.

Henry, who had been ordered to stay with his mother in the relative safety of their apartment, answered calmly, "He'll be here. As soon as Dad finds him, Gramps will come. He'll give Gram true love's kiss, and everything will go back to normal and be fine… until the next villain comes along, anyway."

"Oh, don't _say_ that," Emma groaned. "We just got back from the godforsaken _underworld,_ kid; I think we all deserve a break."

"Deserving one doesn't mean we'll get it."

"Think positive," Emma snapped, still pacing and eyeing her mother as she muttered again, "Where is he?"

"On his way," Henry repeated.

Emma threw back her head and groaned impatiently. "Why is true love's kiss the only way we can wake her up this time?!"

"Because it's _true love's kiss_ ; it's the most powerful sort of magic ever. You know that."

"Well, I know," Emma drawled irrationally. "That this would be easier if we could all just have a few true loves at a time, that way our families wouldn't have to wait for that _one_ person to come in so we could _wake up_!"

Henry narrowed his eyes at his mom. He knew she was just blowing off steam, but still… that was an interesting thought. "Can you do that?" he asked curiously. "Have more than one true love at a time?"

Emma looked at him in surprise as she finally stopped her pacing. "Yeah, of course. How else do you think I managed to bring back Neal from the underworld along with Killian?"

"Luck?" Henry shrugged, even though he already knew he didn't believe in any such thing. "And you're going to have to start calling Dad 'Baelfire', you know. He said it was okay, just so that we don't mix my dad, Neal, up with my baby uncle, Neal."

"Right," Emma nodded, repeating to herself, "Baelfire."

"What are you going to do about that anyway?" Henry asked, making an attempt at getting her to stop her anxious pacing.

"About what?"

"The whole "Killian vs. Baelfire" thing."

Emma put her head in her hands and groaned again, and Henry realized he'd only managed to stress her out even further when she requested, "Can we _please_ not have this conversation right now?"

"Sure," Henry answered a little uneasily, looking towards the door as his gramps ran in with Baelfire at his side.

Henry's conversation with his mom ended as Gramps skidded to a stop at the end of his bed, looking down at Gran for a second before he moved to sit down beside her, leaning over to give her the necessary kiss. The kiss worked – of course it did – and they had a party at Granny's that night to celebrate their safe return… but Henry still didn't forget what his mom had said.

Because, really, the way they lived? Having more than one true love at a time might be a very good idea – even on a wholly practical level.

Eventually the party at Granny's dwindled down until there was only fifteen – counting Roland and the babies – which was a small group when it came to partygoers in this town. So after mulling it over for most of the day Henry dared to ask the question, "Is it wrong to be in love with two people at once?"

Sitting across from him in the booth, Gramps asked, "What?"

So Henry explained, looking at his mom sitting beside him as he did so. "Earlier, you said it would be convenient for someone to have more than one true love at the same time, _and_ you said it was possible… so I guess what I'm actually asking is…" he hesitated, but thinking of its practicality again, he charged on. "Is it wrong to actively pursue more than one person at the same time?"

"As in having two girlfriends at the same time?" Killian enquired curiously, stepping up to the table.

Baelfire came with him, asking Henry with upraised eyebrows, "I still say you've got your eye on the Mad Hatter's daughter, but is there somebody else too or something? Because it's perfectly normal to think that more than just _one_ girl is pretty."

"But is it okay to _date_ more than one person at the same time?" Henry repeated, finally adding, "Because, to be honest, when it comes to the idea of having more than one person to break a curse with true love's kiss, I think it makes a lot of sense."

"Falling in love for a practical reason?" Killian muttered.

Bae snorted quietly. "I have to admit, that's an interesting idea, bud, about the kiss thing."

"I'm sure some of us could get the idea to work for us," Killian declared, shooting a suggestive grin in the direction of Ruby, who had been quietly listening in on the conversation.

The waitress took that as her invitation to give her two cents, adding, "But if you haven't noticed, true love tends to have to be a very hands-on, consistent relationship to work out. You'd be talking about openly, daily living polyamory here, Henry."

Henry shrugged. "I just thought it was an interesting idea."

"It would certainly be an interesting insurance policy," Rumplestiltskin spoke up from the booth behind where Henry was sitting.

He had been almost entirely quiet throughout the evening, silently coming to terms with the fact that he had been talked into giving over the Dark Curse to a hell-demon and leaving it in the underworld. Rumplestiltskin was once again an ordinary man, and Henry was glad. At this point, though, he was equally glad to see his grandfather just _participate_ again.

"Maybe we should try it," Hook suggested, grinning, at least half-teasing as he did his best to slide into the booth beside Emma.

Emma scooted as close to Henry as she could, glancing between the pirate and Bae standing at the head of the table. Then she looked hesitantly around at the others, eyes thoughtful, before her gaze swung back to Bae and Killian and she said boldly, "Maybe we should."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Regina realized first, staring at Emma as she muttered, "You're… serious."

Emma nodded firmly, all but shoving Killian out of the seat as she clambered from the booth, grabbed his hand and Bae's, and dragged them both outside, muttering, "Let's talk for a second."

"That's…" Snow White stared after her daughter through the widow as Emma, Bae, and Killian sat down at a patio table. "An interesting way to settle her dilemma."

"A dilemma that she brought on herself when she let Baelfire come back too," Regina pointed out.

"It wasn't as if you all were going to leave him there!" Belle suddenly spoke up.

Rumplestiltskin seconded, "Absolutely not!"

"So they're just going to randomly dig around their feelings to see if they can make Emma Swan dating two guys a workable thing?" Regina asked, still obviously incredulous.

"How's that supposed to work?" Granny called from the diner's kitchen.

Robin turned towards the closed kitchen door, looking confused as to how she could've heard the not-at-all-loud conversation. Ruby rolled her eyes and supplied, "Wolf hearing."

"Convenient," Robin commented, turning back around.

Ruby muttered, "Not when you run a hotel…"

Robin winced as Snow White answered Regina's question with a thoughtful, "I guess that would be the point, wouldn't it? Trying it out to see if it would work for them?" She shrugged. "Maybe it will."

"Don't tell me that you're in favor of this?!" Regina replied.

"I think," Snow answered slowly. "That love is love, and love should be _allowed_ to be love – whoever you want to share it with, in whatever capacity you want to share it with them. Emma, for one, loves both of the men out there; she's all but admitted as much to me in the past. Why should we let societal norms dictate how my daughter can and can't find love and happiness?"

Regina rolled her eyes… until Robin commented lightly, "If you want to look at it practically, like Henry suggested, even you could admit that having a third set of hands around to help with the kids _would_ be nice since our little Claire's come along."

Regina sighed, giving in by her silence as she looked at the baby girl she held. She loved Claire like her own daughter – just like she'd known she would – but Robin was right. Three kids was a handful between the two of them. Still, she pointed out, "Mal babysits whenever we let her. She and Claire love each other to death."

"See," Robin pointed at her. "Third adult."

"Oh," Regina raised her eyebrows. "Are you in love with Maleficent, too, now?"

Though he was smiling, there was a flash of curiosity in Robin's eyes as he answered, "No, are you?"

"No. She's _just_ my best friend. I promise."

"I'm wounded, dearie," Mr. Gold declared from the other booth.

Regina shot him a _look_ , the former Dark One chuckled, and everybody else in the room grinned to see the man having fun.

 _Maybe,_ Henry mused, _his grandpa would be alright_. Looking back out the window, though, he couldn't help but wonder if things were going as well in his mom's conversation with his dad and Killian.

* * *

"Okay," Emma pushed her hair out of her face as she took a seat at the patio table, effectively seating herself across from Baelfire and Killian as she declared, "Henry practically said it himself. _Both_ of you are my true loves, and I don't know what to do with that. Honestly, if somebody asked me to choose between the two of you right now…" she trailed off, not sure exactly _what_ she'd do.

But Bae answered, "You'd run away from the entire situation, and end up with neither of us."

"Because it's a dilemma of the heart, Swan," Killian added. "And those scare you more than even the underworld does. We know. _I_ , at least, can even understand. And, no," he looked between Bae and Emma. "I'm not trying to gain any sort of favoritism here, either. An old sea rogue like me is hardly afraid of the idea of courting more than one lover at once. However…" he studied Emma. "What do you think of the idea?"

"I want to know why you're willing to go along with this so quietly," she declared suspiciously.

"Because I love you," Killian declared simply. "And I want you to be happy. You love Baelfire, and he makes you happy. Therefore, I'm willing to play along if you are."

Bae stayed quiet, letting Emma mutter, "This is insane. Henry _just_ brought this up!"

"And yet you automatically ran with it," Bae spoke up, asking quietly, "Why do you think that is?"

Emma only shrugged uncomfortably.

"I think you do know," Killian commented. "It's not hard to figure out, Swan."

"She does know," Bae declared, reaching for one of Emma's hands as he asked her, "Can I be honest?"

"Of course."

Bae hesitated before admitting, "I – we, actually – already know a polyamorous family."

"We do?" Killian asked in surprise. "Who?"

"Phillip and Aurora… and Mulan."

Emma slowly grinned as she said thoughtfully, "I can see that."

"Back in the Enchanted Forest," Bae blurted. "They asked me to join their family."

Emma and Killian both froze before Emma asked cautiously, "Is that something you'd like to do?"

Bae nodded even as he said, "But I told them 'no.'"

"Why?" Emma asked.

Bae smiled gently at her as he said, "Because I _knew_ I loved you; I would've had to have taken a chance on them."

"You played it safe," Emma said flatly.

"Can you blame me?"

"No." She hesitated before asking nervously, "Do you ever regret it – not joining them?"

Bae flinched, already looking like he was afraid of her reaction as he replied honestly, "Sometimes, yeah."

Emma nodded slowly, thoughtful even though she could practically feel both men waiting for her to bolt from the whole, unusual conversation that she started. Well, she wasn't going to do that. Not this time. This was a fascinating, terrifying idea that they were discussing, and if it was something that both Bae and Killian wanted to try… "Then let's try it."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

Two mouths came unhinged across from her at her easy acceptance until Bae managed to ask, "Seriously?" Emma nodded, smiling a little at the duo. Killian clasped her free hand and the trio absorbed this decision in silence for a minute before Bae spoke again, the voice of practicality, asking, "So, are we discussing poly relationships or open ones? Because I did some research in my spare time back after being presented with the idea, and there is a difference."

"Which is?" Emma inquired.

"Open is basically… how to put it… having permission from your primary partner or partners to sleep around if you want."

"Is that something you'd want?" Emma asked him hesitantly.

"Me?" Bae shook his head. "No. I would stay poly with you, Mulan, and Aurora. That's all I want in my life at most."

Emma raised an eyebrow at Killian to ask him the same question. To which the pirate smirked, shrugged, and declared, "It sounds like an interesting thing to experiment with if you're not adverse to me trying it."

"That's your decision, Captain Hook," Emma answered with a smirk of her own. "I know how you can be with women."

"That stopped when you and I… became a couple!" Killian objected.

Emma smiled dryly, answering, "Sex with other women, yes. Flirting with them? No; you still do that."

Killian shrugged, glad to see no real censor in her eyes. "Well then, I guess I'll try my hand – and hook – at being open."

"Surprise!" Emma muttered, still sardonic, but fond all the same.

"What about you, love?" Killian asked to direct the attention from himself.

"I dunno," Emma shrugged, instantly looking a little wary. _Because we're discussing commitment…_

"You don't have to decide right away," Bae assured her quickly. "Actually, it's probably smarter to think it through unless you're already sure which you're more comfortable with."

Emma nodded thoughtfully, agreeing to not yet give an answer, even as Killian teased, "As long as you're certain about me, Swan."

Emma nodded, looking between Killian and Bae with a hesitantly happy expression, "I'm sure about both of you. Just… not about myself.

Both men squeezed her hands in tandem and Killian declared, "You'll get there."

"We believe in you," Bae seconded.

Emma was still uncertain, but the tension was leaking out of her shoulders slowly as she realized they'd solved her "which true love?" dilemma. For all of her wariness, she looked sure as she tightened her own grip on their hands and replied, "And I believe in us."

* * *

"We're doing it," Killian announced as he, Emma, and Bae walked back into the diner.

Snow, who had been watching them through the window, answered lightly, "We know."

"How?" Emma asked.

"We were watching you out the window," David replied simply. "You're not always as good as concealing your thoughts as you think you are."

Changing the subject, Emma asked lightly, "Any other takers?"

"Beg your pardon?" Rumplestiltskin asked in surprise.

"Not with me, not right now," Emma rushed to assure him.

"Or me," Bae added.

Emma continued, "But I do think Henry had a good point, and, Rumplestiltskin, you said it would make for a decent insurance policy."

Henry grinned at Robin suggesting teasingly, "Maybe you _should_ go talk to Maleficent."

"Hey, Ruby," Belle added with a smile for her friend. "Maybe you should give not-cursed Rumple a chance?"

Ruby rolled her eyes at Belle fondly, and everyone's suggestions were treated as a joke… until Snow White said suddenly, "Katherine Nolan."

"What?" Regina asked.

Snow looked at David beside her, repeating – suddenly dead serious – "Katherine Nolan. She's Storybrooke David's wife, and I know he loves her. That part of _you_ loves her. Agreeing to this… agreeing between the two of us that it's okay to see other people… that could solve the moral dilemma of 'which woman'."

"There's no 'moral dilemma,'" David objected.

"Yes, there is," Snow replied. "Let's just think about it, okay? Seriously – and we'll talk about it later."

"Seriously," Regina repeated under her breath, looking at Robin with incredulity and… something _else_ in her eyes.

Whatever that "something else" was, Robin, at least, could interpret it, and muttered, "Maleficent, hm?"

"Maybe it _would_ be a good idea to actively try and find a true love or two," Ruby said thoughtfully.

"You guys are actually going to do this, aren't you?" Granny called out to them as the group suddenly started to disperse, lost in their own thoughts just as suddenly.

Looking around at her family as they left, Emma asked Henry, "What's going on right now? Did we start something?"

"I think so," Henry replied quietly. "And I think it's going to be pretty interesting to see what happens next."


	4. Chapter 4

**First pairing: Golden Wolf**

* * *

As everyone else left the tables, Belle and Rumplestiltskin looked at one another, communicating with the flickering of their gazes before they stood as a pair and walked over to Ruby.

Seeing them coming, the werewolf insisted flatly, "No."

"But why not, Ruby?" Belle asked her friend. "It's something you _just_ said you wanted to do, right?"

"It's me, isn't it?" Rumplestiltskin assumed, looking at the waitress.

"No!" Ruby rushed to assure him. _How could it be the kind man who stood before her? He no longer had the Dark Curse, he was no longer a threat._ "It's me," she blurted. "As much as I agree with the idea of what was said, I just don't know if I really trust myself to get into another real relationship like that. My last boyfriend-"

"Was a long time ago," Belle interrupted her. "It's time to let go of that uncertainty and try something new."

Ruby sighed, then snorted as she said under her breath, "Well, sleeping with an ex-Dark One would certainly be new."

Belle chuckled, and even Rumplestiltskin grinned. "There you go!" the librarian declared jubilantly.

"One night to see if anything's there," Rumplestiltskin reminded Ruby with that same gentleness that she was so unused to seeing from him. "If not, we can pretend like it never happened."

"What about you?" Ruby asked Belle suddenly. Where was her best friend going to be in all of this?

"I am going to spend the night in my apartment above the library," Belle declared. "This – you and Rumple, if it happens – won't be allowed to come between our friendship, Ruby, I promise."

"You're sure?" Ruby asked, looking between the duo and letting the two-word question ask so much.

"Yes," Rumplestiltskin answered, holding a hand out to her in offering even as Belle's smile backed up his words. "We're sure."


	5. Chapter 5

**Robin/Maleficent**

* * *

Maleficent gaped at Robin and Regina, hardly believing what she'd just heard. "You _do_ understand how that sounds, right?" she asked slowly.

"We do," Robin replied.

Regina broke in, demanding, "But doesn't it make sense – at least in a way?"

Maleficent thought for a second before admitting on a sigh, "Yes, it does, in a way."

"So…" Robin drawled, not willing to ask the question again. _Would she stay with him or not?_

"Where are you going to be?" Maleficent asked Regina instead. "Because you were my friend long before the forest boy was, and I don't want that to stop."

"It won't," Regina assured her quickly. "I'm going to go stay with Sidney – if you say 'yes' to Robin."

Maleficent mimicked her friend under her breath, and Regina smiled triumphantly. Robin, however, did nothing of the sort, asking, "Did I miss something here, ladies?"

Mal smirked at him. "If you think you can handle both of us in your life, you're going to have to keep with the program, thief, or else you'll be missing a lot very quickly."

Robin looked back between the two women, as if asking Regina if she was going to let Mal talk to him that way. Regina merely smiled, kissing him on the cheek as she whispered in his ear, "She's right, dear." She went to get her jacket, calling to both Robin and Maleficent, "Have fun! And, Mal, don't kill the poor man!"


	6. Chapter 6

**Red Genie (OUATiW)**

 **Let's just say that the Rabbit brought Ana, Alice, and Cyrus to Storybrooke, and the three of them were already living happily with Will when they heard about this idea and decided to give it a go, okay? Okay!**

* * *

"You don't have to be nervous with me, you know," Cyrus told Anastasia, leading her by the hand towards his bedroom on the second night since all of this had started.

"I'm not nervous!" the Red Queen declared sharply – too sharply for it to be the honest truth, and they both knew it.

Cyrus hummed in the back of his throat, not saying anything as he opened the door to the room that he usually shared with Alice.

"Wildflowers," Anastasia murmured, peering into the room. _The whole room was covered in wildflowers!_

"Wildflowers," Cyrus repeated affirmatively, bending suddenly to scoop Anastasia into his arms.

She bit back a squeal as he carried her over the threshold and deposited her into a sitting position on the bed. "Why all the flowers?" she asked, trying to let curiosity override nerves.

"I thought it might," Cyrus shrugged. "Dispel the scent of… Alice's presence, I guess. Will mentioned that you liked wildflowers, anyway, and I wanted to do everything I could to make you comfortable. I know this was more Will and Alice's idea, anyway, and-"

"It's lovely," Anastasia interrupted him kindly. "Everything is beautiful – although you didn't _have_ to carry me over the threshold, you know."

Cyrus looked her fully in the eye for the first time since they'd entered the room, answering, "All part of the plan to make you feel like this space is yours too. A 'welcome home' for the night, I suppose."

"You're wonderful," Anastasia informed him impulsively, getting up to close the bedroom door.


	7. Chapter 7

**Eh... Bae &Killian friendship _about_ TinkerHook.**

* * *

"All I'm saying is that I think you should talk to her about it," Bae smirked at Killian from where they sat side by side at Granny's bar, eating lunch. "I bet she'd like to hear from you again."

"I bet she wouldn't," Killian snorted.

"Oh, come on! It was obvious that you two had a thing for each other! Admit it, you're attracted to each other!"

"She's an attractive woman, yes," Killian agreed. "Or… fairy… person."

"She's a fairy and you know it. A very pretty fairy that I still think you've slept with at least once already."

Killian smirked over at Baelfire and refused to reply.

"That's what I thought."

"But, Bae, you don't understand. In Neverland, we were enemies; I made her life harder."

"Then go have 'angry' sex," Bae suggested with a roll of his eyes. "I still say you two would be great together if you could just get over yourselves."

"Have you ever seen her help _anyone_?" Killian asked skeptically.

"Regina," Bae answered instantly.

"Well, a number of not-wonderful people have helped Regina in the past. That doesn't mean anything in relation to my… relation _s_ with this fairy."

"If you feel like you did wrong by her, you should probably talk to her anyway," Bae pointed out. "The possibility of sex could just be looked at as a bonus."

"You're kidding."

"You know I'm not." Bae swiped Killian's plate away from him, growing impatient as he shoved him off of the barstool and ordered, "Now, go talk to Tinkerbell!"


	8. Chapter 8

**Mad Swan**

* * *

Emma blinked in the sudden light of dawn, trying to orient herself to the unfamiliar surroundings. _Jefferson's room_. She was in Jefferson's bedroom – in his bed – on the fourth morning.

"Why are you so hard on yourself?" Jefferson asked curiously, out of the blue, as he watched the sheriff wake up.

"What?" Emma asked, feeling more disoriented by the question than anything as she turned to see Jefferson watching her intently with one cheek still resting on his pillow.

"Why are you so hard on yourself?" he repeated.

"I'm not," she muttered, realizing that he'd been thinking about this for awhile.

"You are. I know the look of someone who's working themselves to the bone to try and achieve something. What are you trying to achieve?"

"Nothing," Emma muttered, and before she could stop herself, she heard the word come dryly from her mouth, "Everything."

"Everything?" Jefferson repeated. "What do you mean?"

"All the happy endings," Emma explained, not quite willing to move from the sinfully comfortable mattress yet, despite the conversation. "I am the savior, after all."

"So you think it's your job to save the world," Jefferson muttered, understanding dawning.

"Not the world," Emma snorted. "Just Storybrooke."

"Well, it's not," Jefferson said suddenly. "You can't be responsible for bringing about _all_ the happy endings if you're not going to look out for your own 'happily ever after.' Do yourself the favor of remembering that."


	9. Chapter 9

**Victor/Mary Margaret**

* * *

It was the fifth evening after people had started to go poly for science, and Snow had decided that tonight she was on the prowl for someone new to experiment with. Not that she would _ever_ phrase it like that aloud, but… yeah. That was what she was doing, and it was easy, given the setting of her evening – Granny's. David and Fredrick had been perfectly understanding when Snow told them what she wanted to do. So now Snow was glancing inconspicuously around Granny's in search of a face to catch her eye.

And someone did – sort of. He caught _Mary Margret's_ eye, and Snow did a mental shrug, because why not? She had once already, and so that she'd heard, Ruby had already introduced him to the idea of what they were experimenting with last night.

Taking a deep breath – and silencing the last of _Snow's_ objections – Mary Margret walked over to Dr. Victor Whale's table and sat down across from him. "Hi," she said awkwardly.

They hadn't really talked since the curse broke – she was afraid of the awkwardness brought on by their cursed one night stand and Mary's at-least-physical attraction to him – but now seemed as good a time as any, given how he'd agreed to try poly too.

Dr. Whale gave her a curious look, repeating, "Hi." There was a moment's silent pause before he asked, "Can I help you with something?"

She wasn't really good at this whole "picking up guys" thing, was she? Snow swallowed, commenting, "I heard that Ruby told you last night about… what some of us are trying."

Victor smiled, surprisingly unobtrusively, and nodded. "She did."

"And you've agreed to it too?" she double-checked.

"I have. The more I think about it, though…" he explained, "As much as Whale likes the idea of being open and sleeping around at will – if I can so bluntly phrase it that way – Frankenstein is a more reclusive creature. Right now I'm thinking I'm going to go the polyamorous route. I like the idea of still having some sort of real commitment from any relationships I'm in."

Snow nodded, understanding that. "Okay," she said lightly. "I'll go away if you want me to, but the thing is… the only reason David and I decided to try this out at all is because of his cursed personality. David Nolan loves Katherine," she swallowed, admitting "And Mary Margret likes you."

Victor looked at her for a beat, sighing as he admitted, "And Victor likes you. But I still feel the need for commitment, I think."

"Then let's try that," she said impulsively. "I'm not saying it's true love – I really doubt it ever will be – but let's try it, and see what is there. Maybe? If you want to? Am I being too pushy?" Lord, she was bad at this! "I'll leave."

She moved to do exactly that, only for Victor to wrap his hand aroudn hers and ask ,"Your place or mine?"

"Yours?" she breathed hopefully.

Victor nodded, and they moved towards the door together without a word. Once they were in his car, though, they began to talk, and she noticed with a flash of surprise that whatever mix of his personalities he'd become, Victor was a good conversationalist. So they talked, all night long. They talked, and in the wee hours of the morning when they were stupidly tired, he even led her around his living room in a little waltz. Sex didn't happen that night, but Snow was okay with that – because to her surprise she'd decided that she could learn to enjoy Victor's company.


	10. Chapter 10

**David/Katherine**

* * *

Early the sixth day, Katherine knocked on the doorjamb of the sheriff station with tears in her eyes. David jumped up from his desk chair at the sight of her, taking in her obvious upset as he laid a hand on her arm and asked, "Katherine? Are you okay?"

She shook her head, swallowing back tears as she croaked, "He took advantage of me."

David's mind started to whirl as Katherine started to cry silently, hiding her face in his shoulder – _so that Emma didn't see her tears,_ he realized suddenly. "Give us a second," he requested softly of his daughter, who made a quick excuse about going out on patrol and disappeared.

Once she was gone, David led Katherine over to his desk and guided her into his chair, kneeling before her and taking her hands as he asked, "What happened? Who took advantage of you how?"

"Edward Spencer," she whispered, and David felt everything in him constrict.

"King George." She nodded and he asked, already trying to fight off his anger, "What did he do?"

"I," Katherine started at the beginning, and he let her. "I went to the Rabbit Hole and had a few drinks. He was there." She broke down into sobs. "I woke up in his bed, David, with him telling me I'd asked for it!"

David wanted to punch something – Edward Spencer, preferably – but instead he just cradled Katherine to him – until she admitted, "And he's right!"

"What do you mean?" David asked stiffly, suddenly thinking he'd heard something wrong.

"He knows me better than I thought, I guess, because he had a video recording of me giving consent." She looked hesitantly at him as she explained, "I, uh, I'm a very sober drunk, apparently; he didn't even know I was intoxicated. He wasn't in the wrong here, David," she murmured.

"Then why did you come in crying?"

"Because I need you to forgive me. Please, can you forgive me?"

Vaguely David began to understand. "Katherine, of course. You have nothing to feel guilty over; we agreed days ago that this was something we were going to try – polyamory – and if you're sure that he didn't know you were intoxicated… then I think you're right. As much as I'd still love a chance to punch him for reasons other than this, he didn't do anything wrong." He gripped her hands steadily, making sure he had her attention before he said, "But, sweetheart, neither did you. Both of you were misinformed, and… it happened. Nothing to forgive."

"You're sure?" she asked hesitantly.

David nodded, and just to prove his point, he pulled her in for a kiss.


	11. Chapter 11

**David &Frederick friendship + David/Katherine, Frederick/Abigail**

* * *

"We can't go after him if he didn't do anything!" David shouted later that day, trying to get an enraged Fredrick to understand – to see with his head and not his heart.

"He's the reason Abby came home crying, isn't he?" Fredrick snapped.

"Yes. Sort of. Only because _she_ felt guilty not because he had… assaulted her! Because he didn't! I went and talked to Edward Spencer myself, and he showed me the video Katherine mentioned. We can't do anything to him legally, because he didn't do anything illegal!" Copping the look on Fredrick's face, David pointed at him and added, "And if you try to do anything to Spencer, it'll be _you_ I have to arrest, not him. Don't put me in that position, Fredrick."

Fredrick just glared at him without a word until David muttered, "You know what? Do what you want, just know that I can't help you out of any big scrapes you get yourself into," and turned to walk away.

Fredrick deflated when his friend's back was turned, and David was already at the door when Fredrick called, "Wait, my friend."

David froze, sighed, and asked in a tone still edged with irritation, "What?"

"I know I'm overreacting… and I'm sorry."

David turned around to face Fredrick, nodding as he agreed, "It's okay. I understand your frustration. I wish we could do something too, but we can't. We just have to… stay by our girl closer than ever now, I guess."


	12. Chapter 12

**Sleeping Thief**

* * *

Killian, Bae felt, had been taking advantage of this situation a little too much. It was the sixth night since they'd all made this decision, and it was the first time that Killian had come home, which meant that it was also the first time since that second night that Bae had a night that he felt he could spend with Philip, Mulan, and Aurora.

Aurora met him at their door, declaring soberly, "Philip says it's time."

"Time for what?" Bae asked with a smile, giving her a kiss as he came in.

She took his hand without a word and led him into the living room where Philip and Mulan were already curled up waiting. Bae kissed Mulan, and then turned back to Aurora, only for the brunette to point to the television.

"Philip says he wants you to teach us how it works," she informed Bae dolefully.

"Ah," Bae said evenly, doing his dead-level best not to laugh. He turned fully towards Aurora, shrugging off his jacket and then bowing at the waist to her as he promised, "Fear not, my fair princess, the devil box won't hurt you tonight – or ever – as long as you keep the volume turned down."

"How did you know she called it that?" Mulan asked with a fond smile.

At the same time, Philip said, "I told her it wouldn't, but she insisted we wait for you to show us to make sure."

"I'd be happy to be of assistance," Bae promised, going to the entertainment center and starting to root around for the remote. "As for how I knew what it had been called..."

"Emma," Aurora realized, though there was no real malice in her voice. "She heard me, and she must've told you."

"She did," Bae acknowledged. "She knew I liked you, and she thought I might appreciate the story. Do you mind?"

Aurora shook her head, declaring, "Not as long as you can make sure that this device behaves."

"Of course, princess."


	13. Chapter 13

**Warrior Fire**

* * *

Mulan watched with a fond smile as Bae talked them all through using the television and it's related devices. He was a genuinely kind man, she thought, surprised when he leapt up and declared, "But before we start watching a movie, we need popcorn!"

"Of course we do," Mulan said with a roll of her eyes. She'd noticed his affinity for the treat already, though why it always seemed to be connected to movies, she had no idea.

"Come make some with me?" Bae requested, arching his eyebrow as he held out his hand with a smile that was just on this side of pleading.

She took his hand and let him lead her into the kitchen. She really only observed, tucking the information away for later, as he dug a popcorn maker out from underneath the counter and put in the kernels. When he was done, and they were left to wait for their popcorn, he turned to her, leaned against the counter, and beckoned her forward with a crook of his finger.

Mulan arched an eyebrow, about to remind him she was capable of cutting that finger off, but then he pulled her flush against him and kissed her very much senseless until the popcorn stopped popping.

"You didn't need me in there at all," she accused as they walked back into the living room with the snack.

"Nope," Bae grinned. "I didn't, but I _wanted_ you in there."

She rolled her eyes again as they settled onto the couch – but she still let him hold her hand over the popcorn bowl.


	14. Chapter 14

**Scarlet Beauty**

* * *

The seventh night found Will at The Rabbit Hole, just nursing one nice, little shot of whiskey before he went home to Alice and Cyrus. He was hoping to have a relatively quiet evening – and then a familiar brunette slipped onto the seat beside him, having plainly had a few more drinks than he had.

"Hey, Will," Belle said happily, and he wondered for a second if she realized that she was swaying slightly on the seat.

"'Ello, Belle."

"Can I come with you again tonight?" she asked brazenly.

Will took a closer look at her before nodding. "Yep." One way or the other that was going to be a good idea, he decided. She wasn't in safe position to drive herself home at best. "Where's yer 'usband?" he checked first.

"With Ruby," Belle replied with a dismissive, slightly clumsy wave of her hand.

"Okay then," Will declared, sliding off of his barstool and giving Belle a hand off of hers.

She stumbled when her feet hit the floor and he slid an arm firmly around her waist to keep her upright. They walked that way to the door, and to his car, where he helped her buckle up before he got in and drove towards his apartment.

"This isn't like you, love," he pointed out after a minute of silence.

"I know," Belle said, once again being more dismissive than he'd expected her to be – probably because of the alcohol – but sobering quickly as she muttered, "But it's like Lacey."


	15. Chapter 15

**Golden Wolf**

* * *

The same night that Belle was out indulging Lacey at the Rabbit Hole, Ruby had come back over to Mr. Gold's pink house. She had expected… more than what was happening. Though she still thought she didn't know him very well, she could tell that something was off with one of her chosen lovers this evening.

"What's wrong?" she asked him finally as they sat down in the living room with pre-bed mugs of cocoa.

"Nothing."

"Rumplestiltskin," she admonished against the predictable reply.

"Why did you return to me?" he asked suddenly.

"Because, I told you, I think I could learn to love you." She narrowed her eyes at him, asking, "Why?"

"Of all the people you could have, you chose me," he tapped his leg impatiently. "And this broken thing."

"Yes, I did," Ruby set aside her cup, going to curl up beside him as he said, "I chose you because without the Dark Curse, you are a genuinely _good man_ , and I love that about you. I didn't choose you because of your good looks and muscular body – though you're still very good-looking, thank you very much – I chose you because you're _good_ now, and I want someone like that in my life. Someone to remind Ruby that relationships aren't just about sex." He looked alarmed at the idea that they might be, and she chuckled, murmuring, "Exactly." She cupped his cheeks, declaring gently, "I chose you because I want to fall in love with you."


	16. Chapter 16

**Cyrus/Belle (I adore this pairing, actually)**

* * *

"'And the very next night, Aladdin and Jasmine rode off into the moonlight on their magic carpet, where they lived 'happily ever after'. The end.'"

"You're kidding," Alice deadpanned as Belle closed the book she'd just finished – a novelization of Disney's _Aladdin_.

"No," I'm afraid not," Belle said with a small smile at the other woman.

"But that's a terrible story!" Alice objected. "It's not at all accurate!"

"Please tell me that genie isn't supposed to be me," Cyrus requested, looking genuinely affronted by the idea.

"Sorry," Belle winced. "I honestly don't know."

Cyrus made a disgruntled face, muttering something Belle couldn't decipher under her breath. "Well, I know it's not you," Alice declared, curling up on his left side.

"Of course not," Belle agreed, leaving her chair to sit on Cyrus's right. "Robin Williams wouldn't have bothered to give me a tonic to cure my… imbibment." She cringed. "That's not even a word."

"Quite alright, Lacey," Will chimed in, only for Belle to stick her tongue out at him. "You said it yourself," he pointed out.

"And you've cured me of it, at least for the evening, I hope," Belle told Cyrus, leaning into him as he put his arm around her shoulders. "I'm sorry if the story upset any of you."

Alice shook her head, Will declared, "I enjoyed watchin' these two's faces," and Cyrus leaned in to give Belle a kiss, informing her, "Nothing to forgive, darling."


	17. Chapter 17

**Rumple/Merida (There's got to be a real ship name for this one somewhere; what is it?)**

* * *

"I almost hate to ask this," Rumplestiltskin confessed, looking over at Merida on the ninth day.

Merida looked sideways at him, taking in the self-conscious, nervous way he was standing, glancing anywhere but at her while he gripped the top of his cane. "Ask what?" she inquired. "Is someone finally goin' t' invite me t' the party?"

"What?" he asked in surprise.

"All o' this 'polyamory' talk. I was beginning t' feel a bit left out. Is tha' what ya were gonna ask me about?"

"I… If you wouldn't mind it, yes."

"Well, why would I mind it?" Merida asked, turning fully to face him with a grin.

"Because I've already gotten really lucky?" It came out as a question, but it felt like he meant it as more of a declaration. "Because I already have Belle, and now Ruby, and someone who's been as decent to me as you have. Someone who's believed in me as much as you have, that seems like it would be pushing my luck a bit."

"I don' believe in luck," Merida declared. "I believe in fate – and in bein' capable o' wha'ever ya put yer mind to. You put yer mind t' becomin' a hero, and winnin' Ruby's heart, and now… if this is what yer puttin' yer mind t', I believe you can achieve it." She asked carefully, "D' you?"

He winced, turning his gaze to hers and just staring for a second until something changed behind his dark orbs and he muttered sincerely, "Maybe I do."

"Good," Merida replied.


	18. Chapter 18

**Rumple/Ashley**

* * *

On the twelfth day, Ashley walked into the diner and sat down at the bar for lunch – per her norm, even though Shawn wasn't going to be able to share lunch with her today. Ruby grinned at her, saying "Hello" as she slid Ashley's usual plate of food in front of her. And then came something unexpected.

Ruby laid a folded piece of paper down in front of her, declaring, "I was asking to give you this."

Ashley glanced at her curiously, but the waitress had already turned away, so she opened the note and began to read.

 _Dear Mrs. Herman,_

 _I know you and I have had a very rough past, given the way we thought about one another for twenty-eight years, but to be entirely honest, there's very few people I admire more in this town than you. It takes a lot of grit and determination to mace me as I was, and you have it, despite the fact that you carry it differently. I like that about you. If you'd allow me to, I'd like to meet you for dinner this evening, right here at Granny's, or – if you'd prefer – perhaps we could take a picnic to the park. At the very least, I'd like to be able to make amends for the way that I treated you and your darling Alexandria at her very beginning. However, if you want nothing to do with me, and would prefer to burn this note and pretend it never existed, I understand._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Mr. Gold_


	19. Chapter 19

**Rumbelle (See, I can write canon, I can!)**

* * *

"Why do you do that?" Belle cried during the thirteenth day, looking at Rumplestiltskin with actual tears of frustration starting to well in her eyes. "Why do you always feel the need to lie to me?! You tell me you're with Ruby or at the shop, and then I have to find out from somebody else that you were with someone else entirely! Why, Rumple?!"

"I…" he stammered, trying to get her to understand. "I don't want to hurt you. Yes, there have been others, but the idea that this is okay… I don't know if I'm taking it too far, and I just don't want to hurt you, or make you feel like your less than… everything that I could ever need, because you are."

"All I need from you right now, Rumple, is the truth. I know that the curse isn't just _gone_ , that there were habits long formed that you have to break now, but you _do_ have to try and break them. You can't just… tell Ruby the truth and then lie to me. _That's_ how you're going to hurt me. Don't put us at odds, don't hide things from only one of us – or from either of us! – just tell us both what's going on if we ask. If I say 'Do you know where you're going to be tonight?' tell me! That's what we agreed on – open communication. I'm your wife, it's something I'm curious about. I want to know where you are, because this whole thing started out as one great big 'what if something goes wrong.' If it does, I want to know where you are, so I'll know where to find you."

Rumplestiltskin nodded slowly, agreeing with her.

"So," Belle said, taking a deep breath. "Let's try it. Rumple, do you know where you're going to be tonight?"

He smiled timidly, offering, "Right here with you if you'll let me."


	20. Chapter 20

**Outlaw Queen**

* * *

It had taken two weeks, but Robin didn't really mind, given what he saw now. And what he saw was Regina – his Regina, the self-confident one that had marched out of Hell and into Storybrooke before this polyamory idea had been embarked upon. Robin had gotten the feeling that at the beginning of these relationships, her incredulity had become uncertainty – and no wonder, given the way they'd separated for a while over Marian. But more than that, he'd gotten the feeling that she thought he was going to leave her for someone that he simply considered… better.

But he hadn't, and over time he'd even managed to convince her that he wasn't _going_ to, no matter what, or who, came into his life or hers. They belonged to each other for all eternity as one another's soulmates and first true loves.

Still… he'd seen her change in ways beyond even a belief in their relationship. He'd seen her begin to believe in _herself._ She'd taken to Edward Spencer, he believed, because _she believed_ that she could, if not "fix" him, then influence him for the better.

Which required _Regina_ to be a better person. And, rather miraculously, _that_ was what Robin had seen her start to believe in. More than ever before, Regina had begun to believe in _herself,_ and Robin loved to see it.


End file.
